silence

Silence

12-28-08

The Lord often speaks a word and then appears to be distant. It is a great trial to our faith, not hearing further from the Lord, and thinking He is gone. This time of silence can allow a sifting by our enemy, or it can become a time of fruit-bearing for our Lord.

In some of Jesus’ parables He tells us of a master who goes away, and then returns. What do we do with the time of absence, and what do we expect of the master? In the parable of the talents (Lk 19:12-27) the faithful servants “multiplied” their talents while the master was gone. This was the expectation of their master. It was the development of their gifts, or talents, that the master wanted, and this could not take place with Him there. As a father with a small child knows that his child will do what he says only if he is present to help and remind the child, so the master also knew that he could stay and make sure things would go right. But the right-going of things would then be to the master’s credit, and the servants wouldn’t have developed, or matured. So he went away, leaving the servants to be tested by the words he spoke and the talents he gave them. He then rewarded their development when he returned, showing that it was to their credit, and not his, that they increased their talents.

The evil servant saw that he would be making his efforts for the Lord and not for himself. This servant did not see that multiplying his talents would have been credited to him. He thought it was unfair for the Lord to ask him for what he (the master) did not labor, and so the servant refused to do anything. The evil servant judged his master, and stunted his own development as well. So when the Lord returned, he took away what he had given the evil servant.

Jesus gave another parable in which He showed the master’s expectations. It is the parable of the barren fig tree (Lk 13:6-9). In this story the master’s servant, representing the Holy Spirit, promises to dig around the barren tree and fertilize it so that every opportunity is given to bear fruit. This is similar to “multiplying” talents. Fruit is an outward sign of faith. However, the master only gave his servant one year, and if the tree did not bear fruit by that time, the master would have it cut down.

In yet another parable Jesus talks about leaving a servant in charge of his fellow servants (Mt 24:45-51). When the master goes away, the expectation is that the servant in charge will “give them (his fellow servants) their food at the proper time.” We should consider that this also illustrates a time in the believer’s life when the Lord is not actively speaking, but in which he is entrusted with nourishment for his fellow-servants. Perhaps it was a word, rich in meaning at the time he received it, that his master intended for the servant to pass along to those who were without it (the word).

There are six references in the New Testament made by Jesus, telling us that, for some, He would come as a “thief”. He was making a reference to His “returning”, as the master did in Jesus’ parables. He comes back to see what we have done with what He has said and what He has given us. He comes for our “fruit” (Mt 21:34), or the multiplying of our talents. God, our Master, knows what season we are in. We must “be faithful in the little things” (Lk 19:17). Our attitude can become too casual and it may seem reasonable for us to just wait, filling our time up with things of this life. But a heart of faith towards God’s word will pray, and praise God as if He stood right next to him. And God will inspire the heart of faith with deeds that express that faith, until the man bears fruit. The man who is too casual will think that God will bless him anyway, because of His love. This man will be surprised when he is thrown out of God’s blessings for not wearing the right formal attire (our attitude, as seen in Mt 22:11-14). God does have expectations of us.
Back to the question of what we expect of God; is it that we expect God to hold our hand and prompt us every step of the way to our fulfilled obedience? Do we expect Him to shower love and blessings on us regardless of meeting His expectations of us? Then we are children, in danger of letting our hearts grow evil towards God, eventually judging Him for His requirements. Though God does not want us to go ahead of Him, doing our own thing and using His name, it is His great wisdom to train us in periods of silence. His expectations are for our growth, and reward. Amen.